You know wat would be kool (wild camping

[demographic]

Iv seen loadsa posts about wild camping for obvious reasons. You know wat would solve this is if the government recognised a few of the top survival schools and made liscences these schools could give to students who pass a certain course. Or some other way of getting the liscence, similar to lessons for a driving license. The this license would give you permission to wild camp with a fire in any national park/ forestry / government owned land. As youve proved you know how to camp without leaving trace or damage. The at least it could be regulated. Well just a theory lol probably loadsa reasons it wouldnt work in practice.

Mmmmm the first person that asks me if I have a licence to camp gets a slap across the back of the lug

 

[Johnboy06]

lol good point imagine always being stoped and asked for it kinda ruin the experience but i suppose its workin out the advantages outweigh the disadvantages

 

[demographic]

On a slightly more serious note...

On the occasions I have "wild camped" its usually up in the fells, I tend to get there and make camp fairly late and then theres hardly ever anyone around at that time.
The morning sun wakes me up and my camp is usually packed before the amblers get out of the Keswick shops with their Yeti Attack gaiters (that I am sure some of them put on just to go shopping) covering their 150 quid pristine boots

Still I suspect my answer would be very short indeed if I was expected to produce a licence to do something I have been doing since I was a nipper.

I go out to get away from the creeping nanny state, not to pay it for a licence.

 

[Tadpole]

I’m sure it is a good idea in principle, however. I hope it does not ever come into force.
I spent a year working in a building surrounded by a quarry on one side and a wooded ridge the other, and a week didn’t go by without some "estate youth" setting fire to something (a row of hazel laded bushes was the biggest crime) luckily the locals police were as quick as the local fire-brigade. to witness the damage done by the great unwashed beer swill’ers was a salutary lesson. Until respect for 'the nature' is instilled in the masses, I’d like to leave things as they stand. At least that way there will always be areas that wild campers and bushy folk can go to, that are not just fire pits surrounded by tinnies, dumped mattresses and used condoms. Show the landowners that you are beneficial to their land, petition them to allow you to camp, help them and reap the rewards. I for one don’t want my local wood-land to look like my local park just piles of burnt rubbish and burnt-out cars

 

[Johnboy06]

Also reflecting on the otherside of the idea as well, you never know if it was instilled you might get all sorts of t*ssers on the course just to get the liscense and as was said before dont actually have the instilled respect for nature within them but just want to take there tents anywhere they like. It wasnt a serious thing just a theory, i tend to do this just to get different oppinions. Maybe its best if bushcraft community stay stealthy. Also i imagine that thats half the fun for some of you guys

 

[Steve R]

I am sure the government (any government) would go for a license scheme, money for license, VAT from the course, instant fines for having no license, cost of license increase in each budget, re-take the course every year or two to be able to renew the license.......................

 

[kb31]

if we all filled in a gov poll
i think we'll just end up on a watch list for haveing knifes n axes
MPs don't like pointy things at the min
maybe we are already?

 

[Boxy]

if we all filled in a gov poll
i think we'll just end up on a watch list for haveing knifes n axes
MPs don't like pointy things at the min
maybe we are already?

You are probably right, there is probably already a database of 'potentially dangerous bushcrafters!!'.....

In my experience: If we all fill in a government petition, unfortunately all you get is an e-mail from our glorious leader Tony telling you why you are wrong and why the government will do as they please regardless of how many people sign the petition.

So much for democracy.......

 

[pothunter]

Can't help thinking that a license to set a camp would be followed by a license to:
Own a knife, Use a Knife, Axe, Spoon......
Wear the correct uniform
Inform the authorities in advance of your intended campsite ‘for your own safety’
Carry a fire extinguisher, wear a fluorescent jacket
Join a Registered Group

Or am I just cynical.

 

[dave k]

You are probably right, there is probably already a database of 'potentially dangerous bushcrafters!!'.....

In my experience: If we all fill in a government petition, unfortunately all you get is an e-mail from our glorious leader Tony telling you why you are wrong and why the government will do as they please regardless of how many people sign the petition.

So much for democracy.......

Speaking about watch lists

I know the government monitor phone / e-mail communication between the UK and the rest of the world, using a system of keywords they scan for. Problem was, some time ago someone found out the keyword list, and created a spam mail virus that sent hundreds of thousands of e-mails out with keywords in the subject title. I don't think their systems coped with the amount of positive hits for a while

 

[Johnboy06]

Can't help thinking that a license to set a camp would be followed by a license to:
Own a knife, Use a Knife, Axe, Spoon......
Wear the correct uniform
Inform the authorities in advance of your intended campsite ‘for your own safety’
Carry a fire extinguisher, wear a fluorescent jacket
Join a Registered Group

Or am I just cynical.

No good point, sh*t health and safety would wet themselves with excitement

 

[EdS]

Essentially what someone needs to do to effect change is bring all the organisations together-ramblers

You be hard pushed to get the Ramblers Assoc. to deal with anyone else if it concerns access to the countrside.

 

[David Morgan]

I guess one of the problems for open access, especially for wild camping, would be the population density in many parts of England, especially the south, compared to Scotland. It would probably have do be done with different regions having different levels of access.

What could be cool is if large land owners like the Woodland Trust, National Trust, Forestry Commision etc were to work out how many wild campers their lands can sustain and then people could enter a lottery for the rights to a 'pitch'
for a given period of time, with proceeds going to run the scheme and to maintaining the lands, properties, education etc. Wild campers per se shouldn't be a problem, they have to permit them in Scotland and ramblers and day visitors are just as capable of causing damage or leaving litter, and a lottery scheme would limit mumbers while giving everyone a chance of access.

Any NT/WT/FC types out there care to comment?